July
• Sherry Schenk, 48, of Corbin, was killed on July 1 after the motorcycle she was riding on lost control on US 25.
• Ricky George, Captain at London Fire Department, earned the Medal of Valor for an act of heroism performed on May 26 while fighting the Huffman & Huffman office fire. On that day, Capt. George saved the life of Firefighter Brandon Buckner and ensured the safe exit of Firefighter Trevor Overbay while also being injured himself.
• The civil lawsuit filed by London Mayor Randall Weddle the previous February accusing resident Sherri Rudder-Smith of defamation and libel was dismissed by Laurel Circuit Judge Gregory Lay.
• President Joe Biden announced from the Oval Office on July 24 that he had decided to drop his 2024 Democratic reelection bid, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after.
• Two Ohio men, James F. Harness and Jacob Evan Harness, were arrested after a road rage altercation in which James Harness fired shots on Adams Road.
August
• The London-Laurel Tourist Commission hosted a ceremony at the London-Laurel Wellness Park to honor and celebrate the Sheppard family, as well as a century’s worth of the community’s extensive list of local basketball champions. The Sheppards were present for the event.
• Following a three-day trial, a Warren County jury convicted 37-year-old Casey Preston Byrd, the Tennessee man accused of killing London Police Sergeant Logan K. Medlock in a DUI-related crash back in October 2022. Byrd was found guilty of murder, two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.
• Joseph Caden Brewer, 21, was indicted by the Laurel County Grand Jury after he was accused of shooting someone who had stopped for an apparent road rage incident. Brewer was charged with one count of first-degree assault in connection to the July 6 shooting of 21-year-old Jayden Jackson of London.
• Shirley Smith, 87, died at UK Medical Center in Lexington, having succumbed to injuries sustained a three-vehicle collision on South Main Street and Armory Street.
September
• Joseph Collett, 26, of Gray, faced several felony charges in connection to a home invasion. The Knox County man was arrested on charges of attempted murder, first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, second-degree cruelty to animals, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
• The hunt for 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch of the Woodbine community in Whitley County began. Couch was the suspect in the Sept. 7 shooting near exit 49 of Interstate 75 in northern Laurel County.
• As the search for Joseph A. Couch continued into an 11th day, Governor Andy Beshear visited the London Community Center, for a second time since the shooting along I-75, to announce the transition from a manhunt to a larger presence of law enforcement in the community.
• Nearly two weeks after the I-75 shooting, authorities were able to officially close the manhunt for Joseph A. Couch with the positive identification of a body discovered in the area as Couch.
October
• The remnants of Hurricane Helene failed to stop many of the attractions at the 2024 World Chicken Festival, which still earned a large turnout. Uncle Kracker headlined the festival.
• Near the end of a London City Council meeting, Council Member Justin Young addressed Mayor Randall Weddle directly regarding recent posts and comments he had made. The mayor’s posts and comments were made pertaining to the use of gray machines in the city of London. This resulted in a fiery public disagreement.
• The London-Corbin Airport’s 2024 Air Expo brought aviation enthusiasts face-to-face with an impressive lineup of planes. The day also marked the 20-year anniversary of PHI Air Medical’s London base.
• A two-vehicle injury accident at the intersection of Ky. 192 and Boggs Road in London resulted in the tragic death of a 3-year-old.
• Thousands gathered on Main Street in London for the annual Boo On Main Halloween event. City Tourism Director Chris Robinson estimated a total of 5,000 attendees.
November
• Community members came together for the county’s annual Veterans Celebration, including a parade featuring an array of vintage trucks and cars, motorcycles, and more.
• London voters casted their votes on the public question regarding the sale of medical cannabis within city limits. Not only did the majority of Laurel Countians vote Nov. 5 in support of the referendum but it was an overwhelming win — with 1,632 voters casting their votes in favor of the referendum and only 840 individuals voting opposed.
• Donald Trump, 78, was elected as the 47th president of the United States. As for London City Council, voters selected Anthony Ortega, Stacy Benge, Kip Jervis, Kelly Smith Greene, Holly Little, and Justin Young.
• Victoria Teresa Strelsky, 52, of London, who was charged with the shooting death of a London businessman in September 2021, may stand trial in June 2025. She was indicted in May 2022 on three counts — murder, second-degree forgery and tampering with physical evidence — in the September 24, 2021 death of Bryan Stuart McCarty, her then-boyfriend.
• London marked a historical milestone as local kids flooded the NLHS gymnasium for a basketball camp honoring the inaugural celebration of Reed Sheppard Day on Nov. 20.
December
• London Downtown presented their first-ever Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Jared Baker, owner of the CJ on the Way restaurant and grocery delivery service which now seizes business.
• The Laurel County Grand Jury is set to hear the case of Timothy James Robinson, 40, of East Branch Road, as Robinson was charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault. He was arrested at home just before 1 p.m. Dec. 3 on a Laurel District Court warrant obtained by Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Taylor McDaniel.
• The cold weather failed to prevent Laurel Countians from coming out for the annual Randy Smith Memorial Christmas on Main Parade and festivities in downtown London. The parade spanned nearly an hour and a half, featuring more vehicles than ever before.
• Former SLMS coach William Trevor Goodson was sentenced to five years in Laurel Circuit Court following a recent guilty plea to state charges during a pretrial conference in September.
• The annual New Year’s Eve Extravaganza on Main Street returned for another year, featuring a ball drop and live music next to Pour Boyz Sports Lounge. The ball drop was followed by a firework show over Hospital Hill.
This is the second of a two-part series reflecting on events occurring in 2024. To check out the first part, see the Wednesday, Jan. 1, edition.